Aussies win after faith from Clarke

Michael Clarke never thought it was over.

Even with the West Indies needing just 13 runs off the final three overs to claim a face-saving victory in the fourth one-day international at Warner Park in St Kitts, the stand-in Australian skipper insisted he had faith his side could steal a remarkable victory.

Somehow, they pulled it off.

After dominating the opening three games of the series against an insipid Windies, Australia snatched an incredible one-run victory over their much-improved rivals in easily the most absorbing contest to date.

Set 283 for victory on a good batting wicket and with short boundaries, the Windies looked in complete control throughout their run chase after a superb run-a-ball 92 from skipper Chris Gayle.

But they choked spectacularly in the dying stages with Australia holding their nerve to move within one win of an impressive 5-0 series sweep.

Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken and Shane Watson all bowled superbly at the death as Australia celebrated a memorable win in front of a dumbfounded 8,000-strong crowd struggling to come to terms with how their side lost what had appeared to be an un-losable game.

It moved Gayle to offer a public apology after the match, such was the manner of the Windies' defeat.

For Clarke, though, it was nothing but sweet success in his first match in charge of the Australian one-day team.

"I never thought it was gone," said the 27-year-old, who will again lead Australia in the final match in St Kitts on Sunday after captain Ricky Ponting was sent home to meet a specialist in Melbourne about his injured wrist.

"That was probably one thing we spoke about before we went out on the field, to make sure ... no matter what we always believed that we could win the game. We just kept fighting and we got the result we were after."

That result looked destined to go only one way with the in-form Shivnarine Chanderpaul at the crease and the Windies in cruise control at 4-270 after 47 overs.

Lee (3-64), though, restricted the Windies to just one run from the 48th over - including an unbelievable diving one-handed catch from Mike Hussey to dismiss debutant batsman Shawn Findlay - before Bracken (1-50) knocked over Chanderpaul's off-stump for 53.

In the final over, the equation was a straightforward eight runs from six balls with keeper Denesh Ramdin and out-of-form all-rounder Darren Sammy at the crease.

Clarke tossed Watson (1-33) the ball and he responded brilliantly, conceding just six runs - a single from each delivery - as neither Ramdin nor Sammy were able to pierce the field in the final over.

"He did a fantastic job Watto," said Clarke, who told the all-rounder six overs from the death he would be bowling the final six balls.

Earlier, Australia scored 8-282 from their 50 overs after being sent in to bat with man-of-the-match Andrew Symonds (87 off 78 balls) putting on 127 for the fifth-wicket with debutant David Hussey (50).

In reply, Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan (63) added 137 for the second wicket to get the Windies' run chase rolling.

Eventually dismissed to a fine catch from James Hopes off the bowling of Watson, Gayle was filthy at himself for failing to bring up three figures in his most destructive performances of Australia's tour.

"I should have carried on and saw the team home," said Gayle.

"The support was very good and I apologise for the loss ... I should have carried on and get a hundred and see the team home."